A Qualitative Case Study: Strategies for Enhancing Collective Teacher Efficacy while Teaching Virtually

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to discover the approaches teachers use to create collective teacher efficacy (CTE) while teaching online at one elementary school located in Southern California.

Methodology. A case study design, using semistructured interviews, was used to answer the following central research question: How do elementary school teachers (K-5) create a sense of CTE while teaching online during a pandemic? The researcher used a purposeful sampling approach to recruit and interview six teacher participants. Semistructured interviews included four demographic questions and eight open-ended questions.

Findings. Five themes were drawn from the data: understanding the importance of CTE, collaborating and working together regularly, supporting students’ success and achievement, teachers demonstrating educational leadership, and identifying the problem and actively finding solutions.

Conclusions. Three conclusions were formulated based on the findings: CTE relates to external conditions, CTE relies upon internal conditions, and CTE comes about through teachers’ activities.

Implications. Based on the findings, research is suggested to more deeply explore(a) teachers’ motivational and attitudinal contributions to CTE; (b) the impact of leadership teachers’ perceptions, motivations, and behaviors; and (c) whether findings based on larger samples of elementary school teachers align with extant literature.